Planes, trains, and automobiles

Since I last posted, we’ve been on the move. That is… moving via regular methods transport: buses and walking around Sydney, a plane up to Brisbane, a train up to Noosa, and car rides all over the place (scary stuff, especially with Will driving on the wrong side of the road! “LEFT!” “LEFT!”)

Seeing my parents after almost a year was awesome. We had two short days in Sydney and the same in Brisbane, but we definitely maximized the time together. The ironic thing is that they hadn’t even planned this trip to Australia around us; they are actually here for the Ashes (a cricket test series between Australia and England). Our change of plan to sail all the way to Oz in one season just happened to coincide with their cricket schedule. How lucky for all of us!

Highlights in Sydney were doing the Bondi to Coogee beach walk and eating dinner at restaurant China Doll… a meal that Will and I are calling one of the best of our lives.

My parents then set off to visit friends in QLD and we moved Hydroquest to her home for December – a slip in Cammeray Marina. We reunited again a week later in Brisbane. Inter-Australian-city flights are so much cheaper than Canada so it was a pleasure to hop a plane and be in Brisbane an hour and a half later. Too easy!

Sailing into Sydney with Chris and Anne-Marie (who sold Starship in Noomea!)

Hmm, what are we looking at??

Anne-Marie does a great job on the wheel

Bow photo shoot

HQ scores a RSYC mooring ball for 5 nights

Ferry wakes… other ferry passengers say “wow, look at that Canadian boat. I wonder if they sailed here!?!”

With my parents on the Harbour Bridge!

Bondi to Coogee beach walk

KP Ninjas!

Bondi beach in the background

Dad and the sandstone cliffs

Opera House in nicer weather

Captain

First Mate / Admiral

Approaching Middle Harbour Bridge

And motor into Middle Harbour

A 1.5 plane ride…. and we’re in Brisbane!

Hand feeding at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Will was obsessed with this one

Hopefully a happy life for them

So cute

$20 for a picture holding one, so we improvise

Some similarities…?

Next on the schedule was a visit to friends Linda and Ian who moved from Vancouver to Noosa a year ago. And we can see why… Noosa has it all: wonderful relaxed pace, tons of outdoor activities, great climate, beaches and parks. They are working in real estate so were able to give us an informed idea of the local market. We visited a couple of open houses, an auction (strange Aussie selling process), and had tours of various urban and rural areas. To answer the question from home: NO, we are not moving to Noosa, but we did really love it… So much so that we extended our stay by five days! Thank you Linda and Ian!

In the past two weeks we only took one boat ride… but it was about as stress free as boating gets.

Today we are back in Sydney, aboard Hydroquest who is still happily moored in Cammeray Marina where we left her. As wonderful as our land travels have been, we came back to our pretty boat and she felt more like home than ever. A few easy boat projects are on the schedule for this week and then we have to get organzied for our Canadian/Swedish Christmas and New Year’s. We hear this city puts on a decent firework show 😉